


A Moment of Reflection

by OddmentsandTweaks



Series: A Treasured Collection [6]
Category: Night at the Museum (2006 2009)
Genre: Consideration, F/M, Gen, Introspection, Museum as a family, Teddy's Pov
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-30
Updated: 2015-03-30
Packaged: 2018-03-20 09:48:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,587
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3645777
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OddmentsandTweaks/pseuds/OddmentsandTweaks
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Teddy takes a moment to consider his lady and the museum since Larry joined them. </p>
<p>A story in which Teddy is grateful, Larry is inventive and the museum is harmonious.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Moment of Reflection

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you to every one who's reading this series, I can’t tell you how happy it makes me to know people are enjoying this little universe! This one is a little different, from Teddy’s POV for a change...

Teddy watched Sacagawea sing Jean-Baptiste the lullaby Ahkmenrah had taught her, she’d translated it into Shoshone for herself to sing as well as knowing it in English. It turned out it was now the most sure fire way of getting him to sleep when he was fractious. Taking him for a ride was good too, or handing him to Ahkmenrah but the lullaby from Sacagawea had become the best method.

Sleep soundly my child let the dunes be your guide

The evening is come and the sun rests his head

The stars shall watch over you, the moon fills with pride

The land it lies quiet now, all that needs to is said

I love you my baby, my child of my heart,

I will watch over you, protect you and guard you

I love you my baby, my child of my heart

The dawn shall come for you sure as the stone

And I shall be with you, together we’ll roam

The sun brings us light and shows us our path

Till night comes upon us once again my love

And we shall lie quiet and sleep till the morn

I love you my baby, my child of my heart

I love you my baby, my child of my heart

Teddy could sit and listen to her sing for hours. He sometimes thought about his other family, or rather, the real Teddy’s family, the family he remembered. He was grateful he knew them, Theodore’s wives had been incredible women, his daughters wonderful, and his sons all a father could ask for. He was glad of the experience, even if it was, technically, second hand, it had helped immeasurably over the years in the museum, especially recently with both Jean-Baptiste and Ahkmenrah, who were so dear to him, both at opposite ends of his experiences but none the less becoming ever more like blooded sons to him.

However, he was glad his memories were really someone else’s.  It meant he was free to feel as he was want without the guilt of somehow betraying another. He would never want that to taint what he felt for Sacagawea.

That feeling was his, his own and independent opinion and emotion.

It took his breath away sometimes when he let himself consider his life. That someone such as her could choose him as he had chosen her. It honestly frightened him how much he loved her, that the very thought of not being able to spend the rest of this afterlife with her threatened to turn him back to wax.

He loved that she was so strong and sure, calm in a crisis and always saw the best in people. He loved that she could be so gentle with everyone around when he’d seen her rage more fiercely than any wild bear. She spoke sense and reason, made time for those that needed her and always considered her child above all else.

That she was willing to trust him, to share with him her son, to name him father in all but blood. It was beyond humbling.

He’d had no idea when he’d first gazed upon her in her exhibition that he would end up here, in a situation where they were not only free to speak to one another, indeed that Sacagawea was free to do anything outside her exhibit, but that they were now firmly established in their affections, committed and confirmed in their mutual love.

He’d never been so grateful for an act of vandalism.

Indeed, things were so much better since Larry had taken over from the older night guards. They had ruled with an iron fist in a leather glove. There was more of a sense of barely maintained equilibrium, resentments bubbling just under the surface, ready to flash into wildness, violence and outright anarchy given an inch.

But since Lawrence had taken over, after his shaky start of course, he’d told the simple truth, they WERE a family. They were all bonded and bound by the magic of Ahkmenrah’s tablet and that was a fact. They could continue as they were or they could pull together and make their entire situation better. He was so glad they’d decided on the latter.

It was a joy to be able to walk with his lady through halls that rang with laughter, to see the miniatures getting along as well as the civil war men. Arguments were kept to a minimum now and were usually resolved quickly.

Larry actually listened to the exhibits, understood, at least in part some of the frustrations felt by them and did his best to alleviate the situations as they arose.

He had actually realised half of the problem with some of the rowdier exhibits was that they were warriors, fighters used to a life of action not spending night hours walking sedately through corridors or sharpening weapons never to be used again.

Using an impressive amount of initiative Larry had got hold of Nicky’s school gym mats when they were being replaced and had them delivered to the museum. Making use of one of the larger, abandoned, fourth floor rooms (with a sturdy floor-he checked.) Larry set up a sparring arena.

The rules had been simple, no actual fights to the death, no sharp weapons because if they messed up their costumes then it would be Larry’s head on the block, everyone had to take turns and share the space, any issues coming out of the sparring that were not resolved there and would lead to the arena being closed.

Simple enough, Larry wanted people to be able to let off steam without really damaging each other. And it WORKED.

Teddy was beyond impressed. It actually helped get the Huns and Vikings in particular to relax and become firm friends. The civil war puppets had friendly bouts of boxing (which Teddy happily joined in with) and some of the exhibits who’d never had learned to fight previously got a chance to learn. Anna in particular enjoyed learning fighting techniques, Ragnar made a good teacher. Even Sacagawea made use of the opportunity to improve her skills. She was as ferocious as she was lovely, Teddy would watch her, Jean-Baptiste in his arms as she sparred or practiced her archery. The sight always sent his heart a flutter.

Most surprising though was Larry himself. After the first few sessions of watching he entered the arena ready for practice accompanied by Ahkmenrah. The young pharaoh had already been making regular use of the opportunity, trying his hand against the others( in some borrowed clothes from Larry, his court finery did not serve him well for the rigors of sparring), loving the chance to practice and burn up some of his youthful energy. They had begun with hand to hand work, simple blocks and attacks that would serve Larry in the not so savory parts of town. He picked it up rather quickly and they soon graduated to wooden sticks to represent weapons. The night guard was rather good it had to be said and he was clearly enjoying the lessons as much as Ahk was teaching them.

It wasn’t just physical engagement Lawrence had championed, far from it, there was now something for everyone to entertain themselves with. Film nights in the projection room had become a weekly fixture along with some sort of interactive games played on the screen. It didn’t entirely appeal to Teddy’s tastes but the younger exhibits certainly seemed to enjoy themselves. Of course dancing and parties in general were now common place but Larry had gone as far to gather a collection of board games (chess and surprisingly jenga had been popular, Ahk and Nicky in particular enjoyed the tower block game), books and art and craft materials for the exhibits to use. It had been quite a sight to see some of the Newfoundlanders, Inuits and Vikings sat happily knitting of an evening, all getting on with no problems. Also, it turned out the some of the exhibits had a real gift for drawing.

Including his lovely lady. The portrait she’d drawn of himself holding Jean-Baptiste had been exquisite. She’d captured the cheeky grin of her boy and oh, oh she had captured forever the look he knew he saved for them and them only. The one that he knew softened every feature, every line in his face till the point he was sure his eyes fairly shone with love. And now he had a record of it, a memory to hold in his heart forever. She had made sure to draw it on paper that would fit in his pocket without the need to fold it. He’d been so touched by the gesture he had begged her to create another image, this time of the whole family so that he may always have them close to his heart.

He wrapped his arms again about Sacagawea before they embarked on another peaceful evening, they’d planned to have a quiet night tonight, just the three of them. He couldn’t resist one extra embrace before they set off. He was rather trying to make up for a wasted 54 years. Sac leaned into him, soft smile on her lips, Jean-Baptiste slept easily against her chest. Teddy bent down to catch the scent of her hair, fresh pine and wild flowers, it was utterly intoxicating. Sacagawea took the opportunity to claim a kiss from him as he moved back from her, eyes filled with love.

It was good to be alive.  

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you so much for reading! Please let me know what you think, I love Teddy and Sac and will take any opportunity to write more about them! The lullaby is my own concoction this time, it hopefully reflects the world as Ahk’s mother knew it to sing to him as a child. Sac is singing in English for Teddy’s benefit :)
> 
> Comments and Kudos fill me with joy and make me write faster! :)


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